Daily Times

Maulana Azam Tariq, son of slain Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan leader Azam Tariq, insists that his only agenda in politics is to serve the public.

Speaking to Daily Times after taking oath at the inaugural session of the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday, Muawia, who got elected on the ticket of Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party (PRHP), said he had never been associated with any banned outfit. “The PRHP is the only party I have ever been a part of,” he said. He said he was a student when parties like SSP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi were banned in the past.

However, critics note that PRHP is the latest front for the anti-Shia sectarian activists, who earlier also organised themselves under the banner of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ).

Muawia won the election as an independent candidate from PP-126 Jhang, getting over 65,000 votes, a record number in Jhang’s electoral history. His father, a firebrand cleric known for his hateful speeches against the Shia community, had earlier been elected to the National Assembly from a Jhang seat.

“The people of my constituency have revolted against feudal lords of Jhang by casting votes in a very large numbers in my favour,” he said, adding that he was aware of the huge responsibility on his shoulders and was ready to serve his people, regardless of their sectarian affiliation.

Muawia said he was approached by both Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and he had decided to vote for PTI candidates for the offices of the speaker, deputy speaker and chief minister. He said the PTI’s performance in Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa (KP) was the only reason why he decided to support the party. “The PML-N government [in Punjab] failed to give health, education and sanitation facilities to the people of Jhang. They didn’t spend even a single penny for the people of my area,” he said.

He said he only wanted a university for the people of Jhang in return for his support to the PTI. “I have my own agenda and that revolves around serving the people,” he said, when asked about the prevailing situation of religious politics in the country.

Published in Daily Times, August 16^th 2018.